Tim Jacquot, of Shepherdstown, pretends to sneak out of Evolve with his headshot photo, which was taken by Stirling Greer in 2023. Courtesy photo

SHEPHERDSTOWN — This past week, Evolve was filled with flashes of light, as Stirling “Stir” Greer walked several local residents through the steps of having a professional headshot taken of them.

The Shepherdstown resident started this business, Brand Necessary Headshots, back in Jan. 2020. Since then, she has seen a great amount of success within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

“Just about everyone, seriously, needs a headshot,” Greer said. “Headshots are portraits of a subject’s face, showing a neutral or pleasant expression, to convey confidence, professionalism and approachability. They are used for professional purposes, generally framed from the shoulders up, highlighting the head and upper torso. They should clearly show your features, to aid in recognition and memorability.”

To capture the perfect headshot, Greer designates around 30-45 minutes for each photography appointment. She specializes in creating flattering, but accurate, headshots.

According to Greer, far too many people fail to understand the value in having an up-to-date headshot.

Greer

“It depends on what you do, in terms of how often you have a new headshot taken,” Greer said. “Every realtor needs to have it done more often than they’re doing it. If you’re always in the public eye, you should get a new headshot taken more often. If you’re going to do a new billboard, most definitely get a new headshot!”

While headshots are often used on billboards, to help potential clients identify professionals in their area, they are also needed for publication on professional profiles, job applications, social media, school applications, business cards, company websites, acting or modeling portfolios, personal branding for entrepreneurs and startups, book covers and press releases, according to Greer.

“When your headshot no longer looks like you now, because of you having a new style, new level of fitness, new hair color or a change in amount of hair, you need to get a new one taken,” Greer said. “Usually, this means that every year or two you need a new headshot.”

According to Greer, headshots should be no more than five years old. Having a new one taken should also be considered for those wishing to represent themselves in a different light, such as because of a graduation, a career path change or a desire to appear eligible for a more responsible position to an employer.

Not every headshot photographer is the right fit for every organization or individual. Greer personally ascribes to the belief that clients should always research the work of any photographers they are considering working with. Only once they have found a photographer that meets their standards should they schedule an appointment for themselves or the members of their organization.

Stirling Greer's headshot photography equipment was set up in Evolve last week. Tabitha Johnston

“You need to like their photos — this is the most important thing,” Greer said. “They should have a pleasant personality that makes you feel comfortable, an easy way to contact and schedule with them, social proof of their work and clear fee schedules. They should also shoot ‘tethered’ — this allows you to know they are getting the images you want during your session.”

These kind of details, related to Greer’s own work as a headshot photographer, can be found at Brand Necessary Headshots on Facebook and at https://brandnecessaryheadshots.com. Greer can be reached for more information by contacting stirgreer@gmail.com or 202-604-8300.

“A good headshot makes you look like you on your best day,” Greer said. “They serve as a first impression in professional contexts — a digital handshake.”